Ben Waltzer – The Point (Calligram Records)

Pianist Ben Waltzer recorded a new album with a fantastic band of Chicago talent backing him up for his latest, The Point. Geof Bradfield plays tenor sax and bass clarinet, and Clark Sommers & Dana Hall take up their usual positions at the bass and drums. Among the seven tracks, Waltzer, Bradfield and Sommers each contributed two tracks, and Billy Strayhorn was kind enough to lend his beautiful composition, “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing.” As is custom at ProMusica studios, where this was recorded, there was a “studio” session and a “live” session. Most of The Point is live, and the band is clearly feeding off the energy of the crowd assembled to hear them play. Bradfield’s “Kintsugi” is a spirited way to get the proceedings going, with the muscular rhythm section giving Bradfield a big wave to ride for as long as he wants. I’m finding myself at least as charmed with “Skyward” and “Six Nails,” and Hall’s hypnotic groove to set up “No Map” is a thing of beauty, too.

Charles Ruggiero – But of Course (RMF Records)

A few weeks ago, I had to buy a new winter hat. This one was too tight, that one didn’t come down low enough to cover my ears, the other one didn’t agree with my hair, and then, I met my hat. It felt like I’d owned it for 10 years as soon as I put it on my head. We were old friends that had just met. And, that, my dear friends, is what Charles Ruggiero’s new album, But Of Course, sounds like. It might be comprised of songs recorded in June of 2024, but it feels like an old, acoustic, recorded in Rudy Van Gelder’s living room kind of an album. Ruggiero, the drummer and leader on the session, is joined by Bob Reynolds on saxophones, Jeremy Manasia at the piano, Mike Gurrola on bass, and Alex Norris (trumpet), Lenny Castro (congas) and Laura Mace (vocals) make guest appearances on the album.  “Jellyroll” is a satisfying opening track. “The Mouse and the Clock” sounds like a great Ike Quebec song that Ike never got around to recording. “A Spleef for Cheef” is a classic Blue Note boogaloo with Lenny Castro’s congas and Alex Norris’ trumpet in the mix to make it feel a little more like 1966. And I absolutely must speak up about this pretty rendition of Billy Strayhorn’s “Isfahan.” It’s great. And like that instantly broken in hat, Ruggiero and company are already jammin’ right out of the box. This is a nice little disc. I think you’re going to like it, too.

The Irv Grossman Sextet – Sound Advice (Cellar Music)

If a band is only as strong as its rhythm section (which is some sound advice that I think most musicians have heard many a time), then Sound Advice, the new album from the Irv Grossman Sextet was bound to be a raging success from the jump. Because as good as the horns are here, the real story is that rhythm section: David Hazeltine (piano), Todd Coolman (bass) and Billy Drummond (drums). Throw on three (or four) great horns into the mix, and ta-da, you’ve got a great album as soon as the engineer hits record. “Sound Advice” and “Four the Moment” are both hard-driving modern Bossa Nova-styled groovers that move specifically because of the push and pull between the horns and the trio backing them up. “Fallen Hero” may start off as a ballad, but once it gets into gear, it’s moving with all of the swagger of finely tuned sports car. Hank Mobley’s “Three Way Split” gets a spirited reading. And, admittedly, it’s always fun to see what someone is going to do with Miles Davis’ “Nefertiti,” because no one else is going to attempt Miles and Wayne’s inside-out arrangement. Sure enough, it is a more straightforward reading on Sound Advice, and that’s a-ok, because saxophonist Sam Dillon turns in a great tenor solo. In short, some sound advice might be to pick up a copy of this one. It’s a nice disc.